Pitter Patter
by GALEXY-ff
Summary: Summer and Ruby were in a car accident, but one didn't make it out alive. Qrow is left with a daughter he never got the chance to know and one more opportunity not to mess everything in his life up (again). The kicker is, Ruby has no idea that her new caretaker is actually her father. How will the two of them ever learn to live with each other in Summer's absence.
1. Qrow

Summer Rose died on a Tuesday morning.

"…a head on collision with a truck. Rose was going 30 miles per hour, and the truck was going about 60 miles per hour. Both drivers were killed in the accident. The driver of the truck, Vincent Vale, had been intoxicated. Summer had been on her way to Beacon High School to drop off her daughter when the accident occurred. Vale was killed instantly when the steering wheel broke his nose with such a force that shards of bone pierced his brain, and a shard of shrapnel pierced his heart. Rose's death was slower. Shards of shrapnel puncturing her stomach and other vital organs, causing her to die of blood loss during the ambulance ride to the hospital. Rose's daughter, Ruby, had gotten off lucky. She suffered a concussion and a few broken ribs…"

The news article didn't describe what it would have sounded like when the vehicles crunched together. It didn't describe the way Summer had probably screamed or the way her throat probably gurgled when both vehicles finally stopped moving. Even if the printed article described the accident in as much detail as the newspapers would allow, it still wasn't capable of capturing the horror of that accident. At least, not the way Qrow pictured it.

He sat in the hospital waiting room, scanning the article over and over again. There hadn't been a picture of the accident, but he could see it in his head. Summer's little red sedan all smashed up. Summer bleeding. Summer suffering.

He'd heard about the accident from Dr. Ozpin, a social worker who'd been assigned to the now orphaned Ruby Rose's case, later that same Tuesday morning. He took a drink from his flask before slipping it back into his pocket. He'd met Ozpin before, but only a few times, and none of those interactions were pleasant memories.

He was really dreading this talk. He hadn't seen Ruby in person since she was a baby. Hadn't spoken to her at all when she would have understood him. All he could picture was the infant, laying on a little pink blanket on the living room floor, holding her tiny arms up and kicking her little legs; squealing and demanding attention. Sure, he'd seen pictures of her as she'd grown up. Summer would send them in letters, or give them to him when she'd visit. But the girl was fifteen now, and he wasn't sure if he'd even be able to talk to her. He didn't know how.

"Mr. Branwen." The nurse called from her station. "You can go in now. She isn't awake yet, but the Doctor says she could regain consciousness any time now. I'm sure it would be nice to wake up to a familiar face."

Familiar. That almost made him laugh.

"Alright." He crossed down the hall and moved to stand in the doorway of Ruby's hospital room.

 _"She looks so much like you." Ruby lay curled in Qrow's arms, her tiny fingers wrapped around one of his._

 _"Mmm." Summer opened her eyes back up. "You think so?"_

 _"Yeah, I do."_

 _"Qrow, she's only a few hours old."_

 _Ruby half-heartedly kicked her legs, slowly blinking her eyes open. "Her eyes are even silver like yours."_

 _Summer laughed. "She'll look like her father before too long."_

But she still looked just like Summer. Same coloring (maybe her hair was a little darker), same haircut, same cheek bones, same fingers. That wasn't going to make this any easier.

"I didn't think you'd come so quickly."

Qrow looked to the other side of Ruby's bed, where Ozpin sat with a binder and a cup of coffee. Qrow sat in the chair nearest to the door.

"This is important."

Ozpin looked up. "She doesn't know, does she?"

"No." Qrow took another sip from his flask. "No, she doesn't."

"Has she even met you before?"

"I haven't seen her since she was a baby."

Ozpin wrote something in his binder. "Do you plan on telling her?"

"How did you even find me?" Qrow looked up.

"Summer wanted you to be the one to take care of her. It was always in her plans that if anything were to happen to her that you'd take care of Miss Rose."

Qrow sighed. "Let me guess. She wrote that 'little girls need their daddy's' too, didn't she?"

"Mr. Branwen, I know this is going to take some getting used to—"

"With all due respect, Dr. Ozpin, but cut this "Mr. Branwen" bullshit." Qrow leaned back in his chair. "This isn't like every other case you've taken on. You know me. And Summer might have wanted this, but do you really think that Ruby will? Do you think she'll want to live with someone she's never even met?"

"Qrow, please." Ozpin cut in, setting down his binder. "I know this is going to be difficult. For both of you. But since it's what Summer wanted, you are who Ruby will be placed with for a trial period to determine if that's what's best for her."

"And if it's not? Ozpin, I don't know how to take care of a kid."

"Lucky for you, Ruby's fifteen. I'm sure she'll be a little easier."

"How is Chief Ironwood letting this slide through?"

"This is why we have a trial period." Ozpin closed his binder. "Please, think about what will be best for Ruby."

"Summer would be best for Ruby." Qrow whispered under his breath.

Ruby's eyelids fluttered and she let out a small moan of discomfort.

"Looks like she's waking up."

She blinked awake, looking around the room with wide, silver eyes. Summer's eyes.

"Mom?" She asked, slowly becoming more lucid. "Where's my…?"

"It's alright, Miss Rose." Ozpin smiled. "You're in the hospital. You hit your head, so they gave you some medicine. Everything is going to feel foggy for a while."

"Mmm…foggy…" She closed her eyes, almost in agreement.

"Unfortunately, Miss Rose, we can't have you dosing off. You might not wake up."

She nodded keeping her eyes closed.

"You don't plan on going over all of this with her now, do you?" Qrow ask, looking at the social worker.

"Of course not. She needs to wake up a little bit more."

"What?" Ruby asked, blinking her eyes open again.

"It's nothing you need to worry about right now, Kiddo." Qrow whispered. "It's going to be okay. You have to stay awake, but don't work yourself up too much."

Ruby nodded, slowly.

"Where's my mom?"

Qrow stood up, coming to sit on the edge of her bed. "She isn't here right now. But I am."

She looked at him, tipping her head to the side. "Do I know you?"

"Not really." He smiled at her. "But I'll be taking care of you for a little while. You can call me Uncle Qrow."


	2. Cookies

Ruby was sitting up with the aid of her hospital bed, fiddling with loose strings on her blanket. The doctor still had her on pain medication for her ribs, but not enough to make her groggy. Ozpin had explained the situation briefly, but left Ruby and Qrow alone together shortly afterward, claiming that he had paperwork to get to.

The room had been silent since his departure with the exception of the TV humming quietly in the background. Qrow had moved back to sit in his chair by the door, crossing and uncrossing his fingers.

"You knew my mom?" Ruby asked, turning to look at him. "That's what Dr. Ozpin said."

"Sort of." He turned to look at her. She was looking at him for the first time since Ozpin told her about what had happened in the accident. Her big silver eyes were wet, but she wasn't crying. "She and I were friends with a long time ago."

Ruby went back to tugging at the strings on her blanket. "How come she never talked about you before?"

"I can't really answer that. Your mom tended to do what she wanted to do."

She looked back at him. "Why do you want to take care of me? Why wouldn't you just say no?"

"It's what your mom wanted." He looked back at his lap. "Besides, you remind me of her a lot."

"How could you know that?" She looked up at him. Her eyes were still wet, but now they looked red with anger. "You just met me an hour ago."

"Ruby, listen—"

She looked back down. He knew that face, and he stopped.

 _"Why do you always have to be drunk?" Summer tucked Qrow into bed, making sure he was still on his side._

 _"I jus had a few."_

 _She blinked, sitting at the edge of the bed before running her fingers through his hair. There were tears in her eyes._

 _"Please, you've got to stop."_

 _"Yeah." Her voice sobered him up a little. He closed his eyes. "I know."_

He let out a steady breath. "I'm really sorry about your mom."

She blinked hard, her hands curling into tiny fists against the sheets.

"And I'm going to try really hard to take good care of you."

She looked up at him. "Uncle Qrow?"

That was the first time she'd said his name.

"What's that?"

She sniffled, carefully bringing up a hand to wipe at her eyes. "What was your favorite thing about my mom?"

He stood, moving to sit back beside her on the bed. "She made the most amazing chocolate chip cookies."

"Yeah." She sniffled. "Every time I was sad."

"It's okay to be sad, Kiddo."

She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder as she started to cry. He closed his eyes, reaching around to rub her back. She was small and shaking. It took him back to the night that Summer had to work late, and he was taking care of Ruby by himself for the first time.

 _"Come on, Kiddo." He kept whispering, bouncing the sobbing infant gently as he walked in circles around her nursery. He'd fed her. He'd changed her. He'd burped her. He just couldn't figure out why she wouldn't stop crying._

 _"Ruby, baby, come on." He pulled her out so he could wipe the fat tears from her cheeks. "I'm trying so hard. I don't know what you want."_

 _The infant had proceeded to cry, so eventually, he just went to lay on the couch, holding the crying baby to his chest, rubbing her little back. When Summer got home that night, she found the two of them on the couch, asleep; little Ruby had nestled herself tight against Qrow's chest, meaty fists curled in the tear stained fabric._

Ruby sniffled, keeping her head buried in his shoulder. He was still rubbing her back, leaning his cheek to rest atop her head. This was just like before. Just like when she was a baby; her fisting his shirt and staining it with tears just like that night he couldn't figure out what was wrong.

But this time he knew.

"You smell like alcohol." She pulled away, wiping her eyes.

"Yeah." His flask suddenly felt heavy in his pocket. "I know."

His hand slid from her back to rest in his lap.

"That was something your mom wasn't the biggest fan of."

Ruby looked at him. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure." He smiled, reaching to ruffle her hair, like he used to do to Summer, but then he stopped himself, dropping his hand back into his lap. "Anything you want, Kiddo."


	3. Reminder

Summer's funeral was held a week later, shortly after Ruby was released from the hospital. Ozpin had Ruby's things delivered to Qrow's apartment in boxes, and Qrow had cleared out a room for her, but everything was still strange. They rode to the funeral in the rental car Ozpin had arranged for Qrow until he could get a replacement for his motorcycle.

"There might be some people you don't know in there." Qrow pulled into the church parking lot. "Your mom knew a lot of people."

She looked out the window, her hands still folded in her lap. She said nothing.

He turned off the car. "You don't have to talk to anyone if you don't want to."

Ruby nodded before she unbuckled her seat belt. Qrow got out and rounded the car and opened her door for her. When she got out, he slid his arm around her back.

He expected her to pull away like the first morning in her hospital room, but she didn't. She just looked at the ground and tugged at the sleeve of her black dress. The steps were damp from rain earlier that morning, but now the sun streamed through the clouds.

 _Summer would have wanted that_ , Qrow thought to himself as he led Ruby through the church doors. He led her up to the front pew, past all sorts of wandering and curious eyes, before sitting her down. The casket was closed, thank God. Qrow didn't know how he would if handled it if it hadn't been.

He looked over his shoulder, recognizing a few faces and stopping cold when he saw one in particular.

Tai Yang.

"Will you be okay here, kiddo?" he sat his hand on Ruby's shoulder and she looked up at him.

"You'll be back before it starts?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'll be right here with you."

"Okay." She pulled on her sleeve again.

He offered her a forced half smile before he turned to walk towards the back of the church to talk to Tai. He hadn't seen him in a long time; that was probably for a good reason.

Tai looked up as Qrow approached, his brow furrowing.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Dad, don't swear, we're in church." His daughter, Yang, poked him hard on the shoulder before glaring then looking up at Qrow, curiously. He hadn't seen her since she was younger, about two or three, but something in her eyes said that she remembered him, at least vaguely.

"Tai." This was worse than seeing Ruby again. Much worse. "Listen, I—"

"What are you doing here, Qrow?" Tai spat back. "You don't show your face for fourteen years, but now you're here."

"It's not like that—"

"It's exactly like that!"

Eyes began to peer over the backs of pews at the two of them.

"Please, can we talk outside?"

Tai rolled his eyes, but got up and followed Qrow out onto the steps of the church.

"What do you want to—"

"Look, Tai." Qrow still sounded defeated, like a dog with its tail between its legs. "I know you think I didn't care about Summer, and I know I'll never be able to make you understand that I did, but I never wanted this. Never wanted to be at her funeral. Never wanted her to die. I _loved_ her. I still do."

"Why is Ruby with you?"

"Social worker called me. I'm Ruby's appointed legal guardian. "

"Just because you're her father doesn't mean you can take care of her."

Qrow looked at his feet at Tai quirked up an eyebrow.

"She doesn't know, does she?"

Qrow shook his head. "It's temporary right now, but—"

"Temporary?"

"It's what I guess you could call a probationary period."

Tai rolled his eyes. "You know plenty about that, don't you Qrow?"

Qrow glared, clenching his fists at his sides, but didn't do anything. He hadn't had a drink in two days—it was making him more irritable than usual. His flask was hanging heavy, empty, in his pocket.

"It's what Summer wanted."

"But is it what Ruby would want?" Tai glared. "You barely know her. Have you even spoken to her, save for this past week, since she was a baby?"

Qrow opened his mouth to respond, but promptly shut it. Tai was right. He barely her.

"Is there a problem here?"

Qrow snapped himself back into focus only to find Officer Ironwood standing at Tai's side.

"No." Tai shook his head. "We were just horsing around."

"Kind of an odd place for that, don't you think?" Officer Ironwood turned to look at Qrow and he felt his stomach shrink. It was no secret that the police officer hated him. Absolutely no secret. But what was he doing here?

"We were just headed back inside." Qrow uncurled his fists, fingers shaking.

"I see." Ironwood looked between the two of them. "Then I suppose I'll see you gentleman inside."

He brushed past them and the church doors swung closed.

Tai looked at Qrow's hands and sighed. "You're not drinking again, are you?"

"I'm trying to stop." Qrow pulled his hands closer to his body. "I haven't had a sip in two days."

"Wow, Qrow." The sarcasm in Tai's voice was heavy. "Two whole days."

"I'm doing it for Ruby." Qrow glared up at his former friend. "I'm trying."

"Try harder. Ruby doesn't need to lose another parent; it doesn't matter if she knows or not. She'll figure it out sooner or later. She's smart." Tai brushed past Qrow to head into the church. Qrow followed before making his way to the front pew and sitting down next to Ruby.

"Why were you talking to Uncle Tai?"

 _She calls him uncle Tai_.

"Just catching up a little."

Ruby looked up at him and offered a sad smile before going back to the sleeve of her dress.

"I can help you get your room set up tonight if you want."

Ruby looked up at him before offering a smaller, but more genuine smile than before.

"I think that's a good idea."


	4. Zwei

"This is where you live?"

Qrow unlocked the front door. "Yeah. Sorry it isn't much."

Ruby followed him through the front door, still in her dress from the funeral, with her red backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Dr. Ozpin had your things boxed up and shipped here." Qrow locked the door back behind him and the house was bathed in darkness. "I would have unpacked at least some of it, but I don't really know what you'd want where. I cleared out a room though."

She looked over her shoulder at him and offered a sad smile. "That's okay."

Before they could continue, the click of dog nails scratched across the kitchen tiles followed by a black and white corgi. The dog barked and wriggled itself excitedly at Ruby's feet. Ruby smiled, crouching down and laughing lightly when the dog rolled over for scratches on its belly.

"I didn't know you had a dog, Uncle Qrow."

Qrow swallowed. "That's Zwei."

Ruby scratched Zwei's belly. "How old is he?"

Qrow shrugged. "I've had him four years or so. I'm not sure how old he was when your-" He stopped, swallowing hard. "When I got him."

Ruby stopped, looking up at Qrow. He was looking at the ground, but not at anything in particular.

"Did you get him at a shelter?"

"He was a gift." He still wasn't looking at her.

Ruby stood and Zwei bounded over to Qrow, tipping his head to the side to look up at his master. Qrow bent down to scratch Zwei behind the ears.

 _"This way you won't get lonely." Summer smiled, letting the corgi pup trot across Qrow's living room floor._

 _Qrow looked at the dog. Watching it. Unsure of what exactly to do with it._

 _"He's already housebroken." She looked up at Qrow from where she sat on the floor. "He's really well behaved. He doesn't chew or dig or bark. He just likes attention. The shelter said that his name is Zwei."_

 _To prove her point, Zwei trotted over to Qrow and immediately nuzzled up against his foot._

 _"Summer, I'm not sure if this is the best idea."_

 _She looked at him with moony, silver eyes and got up. "You can't stay in this house all alone in the dark." She sat on the arm of his chair and looked at him. "Zwei can keep you company."_

 _He looked up at her and she ran her fingers through his hair._

 _He closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. She brushed her nose up against his and he leaned forward to kiss her. But she pulled away._

 _"I have to pick Ruby up from school."_

 _He opened his eyes as she ran her thumb down his cheek and over his lower lip._

" _I know." She whispered, tangling her fingers up in his hair before sliding off the arm of his chair. "I miss you, too."_

"Uncle Qrow?"

He looked up, and Ruby was looking at him with those moon eyes.

"Can you show me where my room is? I want to start unpacking."

"Sure." He stood and led her through the house, Zwei trotting at his heels.

"This is the kitchen." He gestured. "There isn't too much right now, but we can shop later."

Ruby nodded.

They turned down a hallway and went up a flight of stairs.

"My room is on the left; yours is on the right." He pushed her door open to reveal an uncovered mattress and walls lined with towers of boxes. "Bathroom is at the end of the hall."

Ruby nodded again, walking into the room and dropping her bag onto the mattress.

"Sorry, it isn't much."

"It's just so dark in here." She crossed over to the window and opened it.

He watched her, standing at the window and letting the sun stream in before smiling to himself.

"Do you want help unpack and set up in here?"

"Yeah." She came to sit back down on the bed and smiled. "Slide that box over to me."

Qrow stepped into the room, sliding the box labeled "Linens" before sitting on the floor and opening it for her.

"The other stuff from your house was put into a storage unit." Qrow picked up another box and tore it open. "If there's something you can't find here, or things you end up not wanting right now, we can make a trip there before we go to the store."

Ruby nodded before laughing as she pulled one of her stuffed animals from the box and hugged it to her chest. She unpacked that box slowly, finding all of the pieces that made up her bed.

"We can get you a bedframe if you—"

"No." She smiled, tucking her pale red sheets against the mattress. "I like it like this."

He smiled back. "Sorry that I'm not very helpful. I don't know how you'd want things organized."

She smoothed her comforter and sat on the edge of her bed. "It's okay, really."

He closed the box and watched as Zwei jumped up onto the mattress. "I found your clothes and hangars. I cleaned out that closet, too. There's some drawers in there for anything you'd like to fold."

She nodded.

"Do you think you'll be ready to go back to school on Monday?"

She sighed and laid back on her bed. "Do I have to?"

"I don't want you getting super behind, Kiddo. You've already missed a week."

Qrow stood and Zwei wagged his tail.

"Let's just see how the rest of the weekend goes."


	5. Daily

"I'll be here to pick you up after school, okay?"

Ruby bent to look into the car door, smiling. "Alright, Uncle Qrow. I'll see you then."

"Bye, Kiddo."

"Bye!" She shut the door and waved at him before trotting up the steps to the school.

He smiled as he watched her before pulling forward in the drop off lane and then heading towards work. He'd parked the car and gotten out when his phone started to ring.

He picked it up, but didn't recognize the number. "This is Qrow."

"Mr. Branwen."

"Dr. Ozpin." Qrow turned off the car. "Is there something you need?"

"Just checking in; how are you and Ruby settling?"

"We're alright. She went back to school today, and she seems to be excited about it. I think having Zwei helps her out."

"Zwei?"

"My dog; you probably encountered him when you were having things moved in."

"Ah, yes, that fluffy little thing. It's good that he's helping."

"I mean, she's still sad. But she's adjusting."

"And you?"

"I'm…" Qrow closed his eyes. "I'm still adjusting."

"Not drinking?"

"I haven't since a few days before the funeral. I'm trying not to."

"That's good." There was the shuffling of some papers. "I don't know how well DHA would handle it if you were drinking while she lived with you."

"Aren't you just calling to report back to them?"

"No, actually. I'm just checking in. I want what's best for Ruby, and Summer thought that was you. Even though you've been rocky in the past, I want to trust her judgement."

"Did Chief Ironwood tell you to do that?"

"Again, no. Even though I've worked with Ironwood in the past, he isn't my favorite person."

Qrow chuckled. "You and me both."

"Also, I just wanted to let you know I'll be stopping by for a visit at the end of the week. Usually we show up without warning, but I figured I'd let you know this time."

"Thanks, Dr. Ozpin."

"I'll see the two of you Friday."

Then the line went dead.

Qrow got out of the car, shutting the door behind him.

"Hey, Qrow!" Qrow turned where his co-worker, Mercury, was balanced on the roof of a house while he shingled it. "I didn't recognize you with that car. Where's your bike?"

"Thinking about selling the thing." Qrow tucked in his shirt. "You want it?"

"What're you selling it for?"

"It's not gonna work with me carting my kid around."

"You've got a kid?"

Qrow pulled himself up onto the roof to help with the shingling. "Well, I've known about her for a while, but haven't seen her since she was a baby."

"How old is she?"

"Too young for you to be flirting with." Qrow glared. "Don't even think about it."

Mercury chuckled, putting some nails in his teeth to hold. "Why're you taking care of her all of a sudden?"

"Why don't you focus on your work so you don't smash your thumb up again."

Mercury laughed.

They got the roof finished and the outside walls put up. When four o'clock rolled around, Qrow stepped back, dusting himself off. "I gotta go."

Mercury waved him off. "Go pick up your kid."

"Hey, Merc?"

"What?"

"I'm serious about selling that bike to you if you want it."

He smiled. "Yeah, I'll see if I can scrounge something up."

Qrow waved and got into the car, driving to the school.

"Hi, Uncle Qrow!" Ruby giggled, opening the passenger side door.

"Hey, Kiddo," He reached over and ruffled her hair. "How was school?"

"It was okay." She buckled her seatbelt.

"Good." He started to drive. "That's good."


	6. Visit

"I see that the bike is still here."

"I'm lining up to sell it." Qrow stepped off the porch. "Getting used to the car has been weird, but it works for now."

"Are you going to be able to find something soon? It's only another week before we start charging you for that rental car." Ozpin brushed past him towards the door.

"Once I sell the bike, I should figure something out." Qrow, followed him inside, pulling the door shut behind them. "I've been scoping some in the papers. Found a truck I was gonna go look at soon."

"That's good."

Zwei barked, nails clicking as he dashed from the kitchen.

"Uncle Qrow, can you help me with this math problem?" Ruby called from the dining table.

He smiled, Zwei trotting after him as he walked to the table. "Sure thing, kiddo, let me see."

Ozpin watched as he leaned over, scanning the problem, and doing his best to help.

"You're not very good at this, are you?" Ruby asked, tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth as she worked.

"It's been a while since I've done this kind of math." Qrow half-smiled. "Not since high school."

She smiled. "Thanks for trying, though."

Qrow looked over at Dr. Ozpin. "I'm sorry, I forgot. Would you like something to drink?"

"Just some water is fine."

"Oh, hi Dr. Ozpin." Ruby swung her legs, looking over her shoulder. "Do you know very much about math?"

"Not really." Oz smiled. "But can we talk?"

"Sure." She set her pencil down. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"No, just stopping in for a visit." Ozpin sat at the table.

Qrow started dinner while they talked, Zwei trotting at his heels with each step as he cooked in hopes that he might drop something.

"And you're settling in okay?" Ozpin asked, watching Ruby as she finished her last problem. "You like living with Qrow?"

"Yeah." She smiled. "I mean, it's different. But he's great. He's been doing a good job."

"That's good." Ozpin smiled. "So you'd say that you'd want to keep living here?"

"Absolutely." She smiled back. "I like it here. Plus, Uncle Qrow has Zwei. He feels like family now, too."

The corgi trotted over at the sound of his name, nudging Ruby's foot. She giggled and scooped him up, pulling him into her lap. "He's such a good boy."

"Ruby, not by the table." Qrow looked over his shoulder from dinner. "That's the only place I've managed to keep him off, and I don't want him getting any ideas."

She laughed as Zwei licked her face before setting him back down. "Sorry, Uncle Qrow."

He couldn't help the smile that ghosted his lips.

"Well," Ozpin stood, straightening his jacket. "Thank you for the talk, Miss Rose. Would you mind letting Qrow and I talk for a moment?"

"Sure." She smiled, getting up. Zwei followed her up the stairs to her room.

"She seems well." Ozpin walked over, watching Qrow cook.

"Yeah." Qrow nodded.

"And you still haven't—"

"No." Qrow took the lid off the pot. "I haven't gotten around to it."

"I'd recommend telling her sooner rather than later, Qrow." Ozpin looked at him. "She should know."

Qrow looked at the social worker before looking back to dinner. "I know that."

"I have another visit to make." Ozpin looked at his watch. "I'll see myself out."

Qrow stood at the stove, cooking for a few more minutes before Ruby wandered back into the kitchen.

"Did Dr. Ozpin leave?"

"Yeah, kiddo." He smiled. "Are you ready for dinner?"

She nodded. "Let me just put my homework away."

He set the table and put the food on the table as she trotted back down, sitting.

"You're getting better at this." She sat down, Zwei curling at her feet.

"So everything looks okay?"

"Yeah." She picked up a fork. "Mom used to make this for me."

 _"Open wide, Qrow!" Summer leaned forward in her chair, holding a fork with pasta twisted around it. "Come on, say 'Ah'!"_

 _He rolled his eyes before opening his mouth. "Ah." And taking the bite._

 _She smiled as he chewed. "Well, how is it?"_

 _"It's good."_

 _She giggled. "Yay!"_

"Yeah." He smiled, watching Ruby as she chewed with a smile. "Me too."

She finished her bite, twirling her fork in the pasta for a moment before looking up at him. "What did Dr. Ozpin want to talk to you about?"

"Just asking how I was doing." He smiled.

"Asking if you wanted to keep me?"

Qrow stopped, looking up at her. "Um, yeah. Something like that."

"You do, right?"

"Of course, I do, kiddo." He smiled. "I like having you here with me."

She looked down and poking at her food. "Dr. Ozpin said there was something I should know…" She looked back up at him. "I was scared it was that you didn't want me to live with you."

Qrow reached over and ruffled her hair. "No, I love having you here with me."

She laughed, pushing his hand away. "Then what should I know?"

He looked down before looking at a picture Ruby had hung up in the kitchen of her and Summer. They were standing together near a forest with dark red trees. It looked like a vacation picture.

"Ruby…" he turned back to look at her. "Look…I'm…I used to be an alcoholic. And I'm trying to stop drinking. I haven't since a few days after I met you. Dr. Ozpin thinks I should let you know so you can help look out for me."

"Uncle Qrow." She blinked at him before getting up and wrapping her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'll look out for you."

 _"Because I love you, Qrow." Summer whispered._

He smiled, patting her arm until she let go. "Thanks kiddo."


	7. Birthday

The party was small.

Tai's daughter, Yang, had come over a few hours earlier to help decorate and make the place presentable. They were winding up a set of streamers when the first knock on the door came.

"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby was balanced on a step stool. "Can you get that, please?"

"Yeah, yeah." He pulled himself up from the chair. "Sure thing, Kiddo." Qrow pulled the door open.

The two girls blinked, looking at him.

"I told you this wasn't the right address." The one with the white side ponytail whispered.

The other girl, black hair with a bow, punched her arm. "Does Ruby live here?"

"She does. You two must be Weiss and Blake." He smiled. "I'm Qrow." He stepped aside, letting them in.

"Guys!" Ruby nearly fell off the stool, giggling as she taped the last of the streamers. "You came!"

"Of course, we did." Weiss rolled her eyes, setting down a white box on the table. "It's your birthday, you dolt."

"Happy Birthday, Ruby." The dark haired one, Blake, smiled and set down a black bag on the table."

Several other teenagers started showing up at the house, all a little confused when Qrow answered the door, but excited when they realized they were in the right place. Qrow had a little trouble keeping track of all of them: Yang was pretty easy, he already knew her. He'd seen pictures of Blake and Weiss before. And then there was Jaune, Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, Penny, Oscar, Neptune, Velvet, and Sun (who Qrow could not tell apart at all, because several of them had arrived in groups).

Tai arrived last.

Qrow opened the door, one hand in his pocket. Tai was holding a white box with a pink ribbon running across the top.

"Hey, Tai."

"Qrow." He looked down. "It's nice of you to throw this party for Ruby."

"From what I remember, sixteen is an important birthday for a young lady." He smiled. "What do you have there?"

"Cake." Tai looked down. "Yang said you hadn't figured one out yet…"

Qrow smiled. "Well, come in. I'm sure Ruby will be happy to see you." Qrow slid the cake form his hands before taking it into the kitchen and setting it on the table.

"Uncle Tai!" Ruby jumped up from her chair, laughing and throwing her arms around his neck in a tight hug. "I didn't think you'd be here!"

Tai laughed, setting her down. "Happy Birthday."

"Tai." Qrow looked over. "You didn't happen to bring candles, did you?"

"Um…"

"I got it." Yang reached into her pocket, producing a box of black candles and a matchbook.

Weiss arranged sixteen candles in the cake, four evenly on each side, before Yang lit the candles.

"Alright, Birthday Girl." Blake guided Ruby to a chair while another—maybe Jaune—switched off the lights. "Take a seat."

Everyone started in a slightly off key rendition of "Happy Birthday". Qrow leaned against the wall, watching. He'd even found a camera for the occasion—he'd forgotten that he had one—and decided to take a picture or two. He watched as she swung her feet, smiling in a humble awkwardness that everyone seemed to possess on their birthday. As the last line happened, she looked up at the photo of her and her mom on the wall. She smiled, managing half a laugh in attempt not to cry before she blew out the candles and everyone clapped.

Penny—maybe that was who it was—flipped back on all the lights.

"Okay, okay." Weiss held out her arms. "Let's cut the cake and then we can do presents."

Everyone laughed in their own little circles, talking while they ate their slices of cake. Qrow came behind Ruby, setting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up, smiling.

"Everything okay, Kiddo?"

"Yeah." She nodded, leaning back into him a little. "I just wish Mom was here."

They looked up at her photograph together before he ruffled her hair. "I know."

The round of presents went smoothly. Ruby smiled, thanking everyone as she opened the presents. After everyone left, Ruby was helping Qrow do dishes when he looked at the clock.

"Wait here for a second, kiddo?"

She nodded, drying the last of the plates and wiping her hands on a towel. After a moment, Qrow returned with a gift wrapped messily in newspaper.

"What's that?"

He smiled. "Your birthday present, silly." He slid it into her hands.

She turned it over. "Uncle Qrow, you already gave me a present."

"I know, but I wanted to give you another one."

She shrugged, tearing open the paper. It was a picture frame. Then she turned it over.

"Uncle Qrow…"

It was a picture of Qrow, Summer, Tai, and Raven, Yang's mom, from back when they were still in Beacon High School together.

"I know it's weird with her being gone." He sat his hand on her head. "And one day I'll tell you how close she and I used to be, but for now I thought I could just give you this."

She looked up at him with teary, moon eyes before she threw her arms around his neck in a hug, feet coming off the floor.

"Thank you."

He rubbed her back, setting her down gently. "No problem, kiddo."


	8. Discovery

Ruby was playing with Zwei in the living room when the knock came on the door. She stood, straightening her skirt before answering it, Zwei at her heels.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh, so you're the kid." Mercury scratched the back of his head. "Is Qrow home?"

She nodded, letting him in. "Uncle Qrow! Some guy is here!"

Mercury raised his brows at her phrasing.

Qrow nearly tripped over Zwei. "Ruby how many times have I told you to at least ask—" He stopped. "Oh, that makes sense."

"I got cash scrounged up if you're still going to let me buy that bike."

"Sure." Qrow was standing between Mercury and Ruby. "Just come with me to the garage."

Ruby trailed after them.

"Ruby, weren't you doing homework?"

"No." She shrugged. "Just playing with Zwei."

Qrow sighed pushing the garage door open. "There she is, Merc. Still want her?"

"Hell yeah. She's a beauty." Mercury offered a low whistle. "Does two thousand still work?"

Qrow nodded. "It'd be more if we weren't friends."

"What?" Mercury laughed. "I didn't know we were friends."

"Slip of the tongue."

Ruby giggled, leaning down to scratch Zwei's ears. Mercury looked over at her.

"She must look like her mom." He shrugged, "Because she doesn't look anything like you."

Ruby stopped. Qrow tensed feeling her eyes on him as he took the money from Mercury.

"Take care of her, okay?" Qrow asked as Mercury nodded and walked the bike from the garage and rode it away.

Qrow lowered the garage door and Ruby was still staring at him.

"What did he mean by that?" She asked. "That I don't look like you."

Qrow reached to guide her inside but she shied away, her eyes burning him. He knew that look. He'd seen it in his own eyes every day for years when he looked in the mirror.

 _Summer laughed. "She'll look like her father before too long."_

"Why would I look like you?" Her hands were shaking. "Why would he ask you that?"

"Ruby, please—"

She backed away from him again, tears in her eyes.

"Are you my father?"

He looked at her for a moment before looking at the floor. "I—"

"Yes or no?"

"Yes." He looked straight at her. "Yes, Ruby, I am."

He doesn't have time to say anything else before she's bolted up the stairs, ducking into her room before slamming the door behind her.

Zwei whined, looking up at Qrow and tipping his head to the side.

 _"Have you told her anything about me?" Qrow turned the photo of the six-year-old over—he kept having to remind himself that Ruby wasn't a baby anymore—and slid it back towards Summer._

 _"Sort of." Summer tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling. "She's noticed at school that other kids have dads, so she asks where hers is sometimes."_

 _"What do you say to her?"_

 _"I tell her he'd off adventuring." She looks up at him before producing something else from her bag, a drawing this time. "She draws what she imagines."_

 _The drawing is done in crayon. There's a stick figure that looks like it's battling some kind of monster—maybe a dragon. The words 'Daddy' scrawled in blocky, crooked letters above the stick figure._

 _"So, I fight monsters?"_

 _"That's what she believes." Summer laughs half-heartedly. "That her daddy is a hero."_

 _"Do you show her pictures of me?" He looks at her. "Tell her anything that's actually true?"_

 _Summer sighs. "I can't tell her that her daddy is in jail, Qrow."_

 _"I didn't do anything wrong, and we both know it. It isn't my fault that I'm in here."_

 _"She's only six. She wouldn't understand." Summer looks up at him, her fingers itching to reach for his hand, but knowing she can't touch him here without him getting in some kind of trouble. "If she found out you were somewhere she could actually see you, she'd run away and try to find you. She's already tried once."_

 _That makes Qrow smile, just a little._

 _"Ironwood reopened your case." She offered a smile. "It only took four years of pleading."_

 _"He'll saw his own arm off before he lets me out. He thinks I'm a murderer."_

 _"But you aren't." Summer's eyes shine. "You were in the wrong place at the wrong time."_

 _"Good luck convincing that heartless officer of that." He folds his hands and his handcuffs jingle against the table. "Don't show Ruby pictures of me."_

 _"Why not?"_

 _"I don't want her to figure out my face and then find bad news about me somewhere." He shakes his head. "You said she thinks her daddy is a hero, right? Let her keep thinking that."_

 _"Qrow—"_

 _"Times up, Miss Rose." The security guard approaches and Qrow stands obediently._

 _Summer scoops the pictures and drawings back into her purse and watches them take Qrow away. He watches her over his shoulder before they tell him to face forward. But he can feel her eyes following him until he disappears around the corner to go back to his cell._

But Qrow didn't have anything else to say.


	9. Truth

It takes an hour for Ruby to open her door, but she only does it to let Zwei in. Qrow trails up the stairs after the dog, but she shuts the door in his face.

"Ruby, can we please talk about this?"

No answer.

He sighs, crossing the hall into his room. His fingers and throat itch for a drink. He pulls open the second drawer in his dresser to find an envelope he hasn't touched in a while. He scoops it into his hands before going back to Ruby's door.

He knocked again.

"Ruby, please?"

"Why?" Her voice sounds scratchy. He hears her get up and cross to the door before she opens it a crack. "Why should I?"

Even through the sliver of open door, she looks remarkably like Summer. Red is rimming her eyes and there are wet tracks on her face. He could force the door open if he wanted. But she _needs_ to let him in.

"Because I need to tell you the truth." He cradles the envelope. "The real story about me, your mom, and you. I need you to know."

"Then why couldn't you just tell me when we met?" She sounds like she wants to scream at him and beat her fists against his chest. "How hard is it to say, 'by the way, I'm your dad'?"

"Please, let me in, and I promise I'll explain."

She thinks about it for what feels like hours before she moves away and sits on her bed, letting the door swing open. Qrow walks in slowly, as if he'd frighten her if he moved any other way. She watches him, having pulled Zwei into her lap and stroking his ears.

He sits on the floor, cross legged, still cradling the envelope.

"I met your mom in high school." He smiles at the memory. "I was a year ahead, but she was smart and I wasn't. She got moved ahead to our math class, and she knew more than anyone else. For a while, I don't think she knew I existed until Mr. Port made her help me with the unit we were working on. Like I said, I wasn't very smart."

"Tai liked her a lot, and the three of us became this trio. Tai and I were trouble makers, but she kept us in line. I'm pretty sure she's the reason we never got kicked out of school. But, you know how it is when two boys like a girl. Eventually, she's going to pick one. And she picked me. It made Tai kind of mad, but he met my sister, and eventually he got over it."

"She went to college, and I started working. We were saving up for a house so we could have a place to ourselves. But, see, then she found out she was pregnant with you." He twists his hands together. "And her parents weren't very happy about it. I was living with Raven and Tai at the time, and she moved in. But that apartment was so small for four adults, and Yang was a baby. We couldn't have raised you there. So, she dropped college so she could work and we could get a place of our own."

"After you were born, she went back to school and work. I worked night shifts, and stayed home with you during the day, and she took care of you at night. Money was tight and we were stressed, but happy. We both loved taking care of you."

He reached into his envelope and produced a few photographs he hadn't been able to look at since Ruby moved in. There was one of the two of them in the hospital, Summer cradling a tiny ruby bundled in a blanket. One of them at the zoo, Ruby in a stroller. A picture of Qrow feeding Ruby a bottle, another of him asleep on the couch with her curled against his chest. Summer bouncing Ruby, another teaching the infant to walk.

Ruby studied the photos before looking up. "I don't understand. You both look so happy. So why? Why did you leave?"

"I didn't want to." He looked at his lap. "But on my way home from work one night, I found this guy in an alleyway. He was bleeding out, right there. And no one was helping him. So, I tried to help, but the police found us. I tried to run because I was scared. The guy died, and they had no one else to pin it on. I didn't any witnesses to my alibi. My DNA was all over the guy from when I tried to stop the bleeding. And I ran. So, they locked me up."

"I'd always been trouble, so everyone thought I did it—except your mom. She knew I could never do anything like that. She begged Chief Ironwood for years to open the case back up. By the time he did, you were in elementary school. And Summer used to say you asked for me. What your dad was like. She told you—"

"That you were away fighting monsters. That you were a hero." She remembered. She used to dream about it.

"But I told her not to tell you anything about me." Qrow shook his head. "It sounds stupid, but I knew that being a hero in your imagination was better than anything I could do in person. So, I told her not to show you pictures or tell you where I was. You were twelve when they finally let me out. Summer begged me to come home. But I couldn't. I just couldn't force myself to ruin the image you had."

He handed her the envelope. She opened it to produce more photos and drawings. The ones Summer would bring him or send him in letters. Ruby looked at them, turning each one over. The last thing to fall into her lap was a little silver band.

"And I missed you both so much. Summer would offer to bring you over, but I couldn't bring myself to see you. I wouldn't know what to say. She'd visit me when she had time off and you were at school."

She was looking at him, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I never stopped asking about you." He shook his head. "I never stopped caring. I sent Summer a check to put in your college fund every year. I bought the house with the money they gave me for having me in jail so long. Everyone in town forgot about me, except Ironwood and Tai. Tai thinks I abandoned you and Summer because I didn't care. I started drinking to cope, but that didn't really help either. And now we're here…"

He looked at her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She blinked, still looking at the photos before setting them down and picking up the ring to roll it between her fingers.

"Why didn't you and mom get married?"

"We were so young." He smiled half-heartedly. "I bought that for her right before I was sent to jail. I was going to ask her. But I couldn't bear to after being locked up for eleven years."

"I used to think you were hero." She picked up one of her old drawings. "That you fought dragons."

"I'm sorry I'm not." He looked back down. "I wanted to be that for you, but I knew that I never could. Not really."

They were quiet for a while before Ruby got off the bed and Zwei followed. Qrow looked up as she scooted to sit on her knees in front of him.

She studied him, looking into his face. Summer used to do that when they were younger.

"You're so much like your mom, Ruby." He smiled, reaching to wipe a trail of tears off her cheek. "She was smart and kind and beautiful. She'd be proud of you. I know I am."

"You really loved mom, didn't you?" Her voice shook.

He nodded. "I love you, too, Kiddo. I always have."

Her arms were wrapped around his shoulders, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He sat his hands against her back, rubbing between her shoulders gently. One of his hands crept up to pat the back of her head. She sniffled.

"I'm so sorry, Ruby. I should have been there for you."


	10. Verdict

A knock on the door roused Qrow from sleep that Sunday morning. He was confused when he woke up at first. He'd fallen asleep on the floor in Ruby's room. They'd stayed up the whole night talking—mostly her asking him all kinds of questions.

He shuffled down the steps and opened the front door.

"Hello, Mr. Branwen." Ozpin smiled, taking a sip from his cup of coffee. "I haven't come at an inconvenient time, have I?"

Qrow rubbed his eyes and yawned. "No, please come in."

Ozpin walked in. "Where is Miss Rose?"

"Ruby is still asleep." Qrow shuffled into the kitchen to fix his own cup of coffee. "We had a late night."

"A late night?"

"Talking, Dr. Ozpin." Qrow grumbled. "Sorry, that came out meaner than it should have."

Ozpin shrugged, moving to sit at the dining table. "You know that this is our last home visit, don't you?"

"It is?" Qrow scratched the back of his head as the coffee maker sputtered to life. "That's right."

"Would you mind waking Miss Rose for me?"

"Sure." Qrow shuffled up the stairs before sticking his head in Ruby's door. "Kiddo, Dr. Ozpin is here. He needs to talk to you."

She yawned, rolling over in bed with the covers still pulled around her. "Right now?"

 _Not a morning person. Maybe she is a little bit like her father._

"It's his last visit today, so yes. Right now."

She stretched. "I'll be down in a minute."

He smiled to himself before coming back down the stairs.

"She says she'll be down soon."

Ozpin looked through is notes as Qrow poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Something is different." Ozpin mused, sipping his coffee.

"What do you mean?"

Ruby came down the steps. "Can I please have a cup of coffee?"

"It'll stunt your growth, pipsqueak."

She rolled her eyes, reaching into the cabinet for a mug.

 _Definitely like her father._

"I take it you two have found a comfortable pattern with each other?"

"Yeah." Ruby came over, coffee in hand. "I think so. I even had a party for my birthday last week. With streamers and everything."

Qrow smiled.

Ozpin looked back at his notes. "And Ruby, you're happy living here with Qrow?"

She nodded again. "He takes care of me. Like a hero."

"O…kay…." Ozpin made another note. "And Qrow, you haven't been indulging in any unpleasant habits? Still sober and got rid of that death trap motorcycle?"

Qrow nodded. "I actually sold the bike yesterday. The plan was to go pick up the truck today."

"That's good." Ozpin nodded, scratching something onto the paper. "Well, I've seen nothing that would hinder you continuing to be Ruby's legal guardian. Summer wanted it this way, and you seem to be living well together. Except there was that one bit of information—"

"I know Uncle Qrow is my dad." Ruby didn't blink, just took a drink. "He told me yesterday. We talked about it."

They both turned and looked at her, a little shocked.

"Alright, then. And Ruby, are you alright knowing that? Do you still want to live here?"

She nodded. "I do."

Ozpin wrote something down. "Okay, well, as far as I'm concerned you guys have passed. I'll let social services know." He got up and let himself out.

Qrow turned to look at her. "You still want to live with me?"

"Well, duh." She took a sip. "Even before I knew about you and mom, I wanted to stay here. You're cool. And mom wanted me to live here with you."

He smiled. "I'm glad you're happy."

"But I don't think I can call you 'dad'." She wrinkled her nose. "It sounds weird."

He laughed. "You can just keep calling me Uncle Qrow if you want to, Kiddo."


End file.
